DEBURRING TOOL

Abstract: A deburring tool (10), and a cutting tool blade (24) and pivot member (32) therefor. The arbor (12) is formed with a cutting blade recess (14) for a cutting tool (16) having a flat resilient blade (24). The blade (24) is releasably secured in the recess (14) by a pivot member (32) extending transversely through the recess (14). The cutting tool blade (24) includes an open ended slot (44) having an arcuate closed end (46) and one or more flat surfaces (48). The pivot member (32) has a shank portion (40) with arcuate and flat sides (42, 106, 108, 110, 116), and is selectively rotatable in the cutting blade slot (44) between a locked position preventing separation of the blade from the pivot member (32), and an unlocked position permitting separation of the blade (24) and pivot member (32).

Description: DEBURRING TOOL RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field This invention relates to deburring tools and is particularly concerned with the construction of a deburring tool having a replaceable and adjustable cutting head. 2. Description of the Prior Art This invention constitutes an improvement over the cutting tools of the type disclosed in U.S. patents 4,086,018 (April 25, 1978) and 4,147,463 (April 3, 1979), each of which disclose deburring tools having cutting tools mounted in a cutting tool recess in an arbor. In the '018 patent, a cutting blade 10 is mounted in the arbor in spaced pins 16 and 14. In the '463 patent, a blade 10 is mounted in the arbor by means of a pin 16 and an adjustment screw 18 to permit selective pivotal adjustment of the blade about pin 16. See also U.S. patent 5,277,528 (January 11, 1994) as well as the patents and other prior art documents identified in each of the '018, '463 and '528 patents. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES The invention addresses the problems in prior art deburring tools having an arbor formed with a cutting blade recess and a replaceable unitary cutting tool made from material such as M-2 high speed tool steel. The cutting tool is received in the recess of the arbor. A fastener is employed to secure the cutting tool to the arbor with the cutting head projecting from the recess. In accordance with the present invention, the cutting blade is formed with a keyhole-type slot for receiving a pivot member mounted transversely in the arbor for selective rotation between locking and unlocking positions. The pivot member has a shank portion formed with at least one flat surface engageable with a complementary flat surface in the keyhole slot of the cutting blade in the locking position to prevent separation of the cutting blade from the pivot member. When the pivot member is rotated to the unlocking position, the complementary flat surfaces disengage from each other, and the cutting blade can separate from the pivot member and permit the blade to be removed from the arbor. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view a deburring tool embodying a first form of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the deburring tool of Figure 1 with the cutting tool in the locked position; Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 2 with the cutting took unlocked and ready for removal from the arbor; Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view showing the keyhole slot of the cutting blade receiving the pivot member for rotation between its locked position (in full lines) and unlocked position (in phantom lines) ; Figure 5 is a side view of the pivot member; Figure 6 is an end view of the pivot member; Figure 7 is a sectional view of the deburring tool of Figures 1-6 disposed within a workpiece; Figure 8 is view similar to Figure 4 illustrating a second form of the cutting blade slot and pivot member; Figure 9 is a side view of the pivot member of Figure 8; and Figure 10 is an end view of the pivot member of Figure 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The deburring tool is collectively designated by reference numeral 10 in Figures 1-3. and includes an elongated arbor 12 having a cutting blade recess 14 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arbor 12. The deburring tool 10 also includes a unitary cutting tool 16 which is preferably cut from M-2 high speed tool steel stock using a wire electrical discharge machine (EDM) , although this invention is not limited to a blade of any specific material or one that is formed by a specific process. The cutting tool 16 includes a cutting head 18, a trailing terminal portion 20 having a rearwardly projecting tang 22 and an elongated flat resilient blade 24 extending therebetween. The deburring tool 10 also includes a mounting means for securing the cutting tool 16 to the arbor 12 such that the cutting head 18 projects from the recess 14. As disclosed in U.S. patent 4,147,463, the mounting means includes an adjustable screw 26 mounted in the arbor 12 and formed with an annular groove 28 which receives the tang 22. The tang 22 projects into engagement with the adjustable screw 26. A hexagon tool recess 30 (Figure 1) is formed in the screw 26 for receiving a tool (not shown) to rotatably adjust the screw 26. The mounting means also includes a pivot member 32, spaced from the adjustable screw 26, which extends transversely through the recess 14 and the blade 24 to define a pivot axis for the cutting tool 16. Rotation of the adjustable screw 26 in the arbor 12 causes the blade 24 to pivot about the axis of the pivot member 32 to adjust the unstressed position of the cutting head 18 with respect to the arbor 12. Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the pivot member 32 which includes a threaded head portion 34 and a shank portion 40 extending from the head portion. The head portion is received in a threaded hole 36 in the arbor 12, and has a screw driver slot 38. The shank portion 40 has a semi¬ circular cross-section with an arcuate portion 40 and a flat side 42 extending between the edges of the arcuate portion 40. The blade 24 includes an open-ended keyhole-type slot 44 extending into the middle of the blade from the base thereof. The slot 44 has an arcuate closed end 46. A shoulder 48 is formed at one end of the arc which defines the arcuate closed end 46. The pivot member 32 is selectively rotatable within the slot 44 between a locked position to prevent separation of the cutting blade 24 and pivot member 32, and an unlocked position that permits the pivot member to pass through the slot 44 and permit separation of the blade from the pivot member 32, and hence from the arbor 12 (See Figure 3) . The unlocked position of the shank portion 40 is shown in Figure 4 in phantom lines, which permits separation of the blade 24 from the pivot member 32, and hence removal of the blade from the arbor 12. To install the blade, the shank portion is rotated to the unlocked position (the phantom line position of Figure 4) and when the arcuate portion 40 of the pivot member 32 is received in the slot 44 as the blade is mounted in the recess 14 of the arbor, it can be rotated from the unlocked (phantom line) position of Figure 4 to the locked (full-line) position in which the flat surface 42 engages the shoulder 48 to prevent separation of the blade from the pivot member. In the illustrated embodiment, rotation of the head portion 44 one-quarter turn (or 90°) causes the shank portion 40 to move between the locked and unlocked positions. At the same time, the blade 24 is permitted to pivot about the locking screw 32 during deburring operations as explained in greater detail below. As shown in Figures 2-4, the slot 44 includes a lead-in portion 50 which defines an obtuse angle with respect to one side of the blade 24 to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the pivot member 32 and slot 44. To replace a worn cutting tool 16, the flat side 42 of the shank 40 is rotated out of engagement with the shoulder 48 and the blade 24 is lifted out of the arbor. This operation can be performed while the arbor remains mounted in a machine used to drive the deburring tool. As indicated earlier, the cutting head 18 is supported by the blade 24 in an operable position in which it projects from the recess 14 in the unstressed condition of the blade 24 shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, the portion of the blade 24 between the cutting head 18 and the pivot member 32 is resiliently yieldable so that the cutting head 18 can move in the recess 14 between the full- line and phantom-line positions illustrated in Figure 7. The cutting head 18 includes a top, non- cutting surface 18C with a leading cutting edge 18A and a trailing cutting edge 18B extending angularly from the opposite ends of the top edge 18C. Figure 7 illustrates a workpiece W in cross-section formed with a hole 52. The hole 52 may be formed by drilling or some other operation. The hole 52 has a leading edge 54 and a trailing edge 56. At the beginning of the deburring operation, the arbor 12 mounted in a rotating chuck or tool holder is rotated and advanced toward the right, as viewed in Figure 7, with the leading edge 18A engaging the leading cutting edge 54 of the hole 52 to remove burrs and form a slight chamfer as indicated by reference numeral 54 in Figure 7. The arbor first engages the end 54 of the hole 52 and advances to the right to the phantom line position illustrated in Figure 7. The top, non- cutting edge 18C resiliently engages the wall of the hole 52 as the blade moves toward the right through the hole 52. When the cutting head 18 clears the trailing end of the hole 52 at 56, as indicated in phantom lines in Figure 7, the direction of the movement of the tool is reversed and the trailing cutting edge 18B removes burrs and slightly chamfers the trailing end 56 of the hole 52 of the workpiece W. As the blade is withdrawn toward the left in Figure 7, the engagement of the trailing edge 18B with the end 56 of the hole 52 causes the blade 24 to yield and permit the cutting head 18 to assume the full line position shown in Figure 7 as the tool is withdrawn toward the left from the hole 52 of the workpiece W. The amount of pressure applied by the cutting edges 18A and 18B is determined by the resiliency of the portion of the blade 24 between the slot 44 and the head 18 in the unstressed position of the cutting head 18. Figures 8-10 illustrates a second embodiment of the pivot member which is designated by reference numeral 100. The pivot member 100 has a threaded head portion 102 with a tool receiving recess 104. The pivot member 100 also has a shank portion 106 which extends from the head portion 102. The shank portion 106 has a pair of parallel flat sides 110 and 116 extending between the edges 112 and 118 of a pair of arcuate sides 106 and 108, respectively. The resilient blade 120, shown partially cut away in Figure 8, includes an open-ended keyhole-type slot 122 for receiving the shank portion 106. The slot 122 has a closed end 124 having an arcuate slot surface 126 concentric with the arcuate shank surfaces 106 and 108. As shown in Figure 8, slot 122 also has oblique flat edge surfaces 127 and 128 respectively engaging the flat sides 110 and 116 of the pivot member shank (in the full line, locked position of Figure 8) to prevent separation of the blade and pivot member, while at the same time, permitting yieldable clockwise rotation of the blade about the pivot member during the operating conditions illustrated in Figure 7. While specific forms of the invention are described in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the invention is not limited to the exact construction shown. To the contrary, modifications in the construction and arrangement of parts, all falling within the scope and spirit of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 01 May 1995 (01.05.95); original claims 1-6 replaced by amended claims 1-6 (4 pages)] ' 1. A deburring tool comprising: an arbor 12 formed with a cutting blade recess 14, a cutting tool 16 having a flat resilient blade 24, 120 received in said cutting blade recess; a pivot member 32, 100 mounted in said arbor and extending transversely through said cutting blade recess, said pivot member having a head portion 34, 102 and a shank portion 40, 106 said tool being characterized by said shank portion of said pivot member having at least one arcuate shank surface and at least one non-arcuate shank surface 42, 110; and said cutting blade 24, 120 having an open-ended slot 44, 122 for receiving said shank portion 40, 106 therein, said open-ended slot having a closed end formed with at least one arcuate surface 46, 126 complementary to the arcuate shank surface of said pivot member and at least one non-arcuate surface 48, 127 complementary to said non-arcuate shank surface of said pivot member such that said arcuate and non-arcuate slot surfaces of said shank and said blade, respectively, abut each other to hold said cutting tool in an operative position in the arbor; and said pivot member 32, 100 being selectively rotatable between a locked position in which said non- arcuate shank surface 42, 110 of said pivot member 32 abuts said non-arcuate slot surface 48 of said slot to prevent separation of said blade from said pivot member and an unlocked position in which said non- arcuate shank surface 42, 110 of said pivot member 32, 100 is moved from engagement with said non-arcuate surface 48, 127 of said slot to a position relative to said slot 44, 122 in said blade in which said shank portion can pass through said slot and permit separation of the blade and pivot member. 2. For use in a deburring tool having an elongated arbor 12 with a cutting blade recess 14 and a cutting blade 24 received in said recess, a pivot member 32 in said operatively mounting said cutting blade therein, said pivot member having a head portion 34 and a shank portion 40, said pivot member 32 being characterized by said shank portion having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion having at least one arcuate shank surface along its length and at least one non-arcuate shank surface, said non- arcuate shank surface being a flat 42 for selective engagement with a shoulder 48 for operatively securing said cutting blade 24 in said cutting blade recess. 3. For use in a deburring tool having an elongated arbor 12 with a cutting blade recess 14 and a pivot member 32 operatively mounted for limited pivotal movement between first and second positions for receiving and mounting a cutting blade 24 in said recess of said arbor, said cutting blade 24 including an open-ended slot 44 for receiving the pivot member 32 therein, said open-ended slot 44 being character¬ ized by a closed end formed having at least one arcuate surface 46 and at least one non-arcuate surface 48, said surfaces being adapted to cooperate with corresponding arcuate and non-arcuate surfaces on the pivot member to secure the blade in the recess in a first position of said pivot member and to allow the blade to be removed from the recess in a second position of said pivot member. 4. A deburring tool comprising: an elongated arbor 12 formed with a cutting blade recess 14, a unitary cutting tool 16 having a cutting head 18, a trailing terminal portion 20, and an elongated, flat resilient blade 24 extending therebetween and received in said recess and mounting means 26, 32 securing said cutting tool to said arbor such that said cutting head 18 projects from said recess; said mounting means including an adjustable screw 26 threadably mounted in said arbor transversely of the longitudinal axis of said arbor for fixedly engaging the terminal portion 22 of said cutting tool so as to set the distance that said cutting head projects from said recess and an adjustable locking screw 32 extending transversely through said recess and said blade to define a pivot point about which said cutting tool can pivot, said tool being characterized by the locking screw 32 having a shank 40 with a non-threaded hemispherical portion which terminates in a flat edge 42; said resilient blade 24 including an open- ended slot 44 having an arcuate closed end 46 which presents a flat 48 at one end of the arc of said slot, said hemispherical portion of said locking screw being received in said slot and adapted to be turned relative to said arcuate end of said slot until said flat edge of said hemispherical portion comes into abutting engagement with said flat 48 in said slot to lock said blade within said arbor while permitting said resilient blade to pivot about said locking screw. 5. A deburring tool as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said slot including a lead in portion which defines an obtuse angle a with respect to one side edge of said blade to facilitate receiving said hemispherical portion of said adjustable locking screw 32 when said blade is mounted in said arbor. 6. A deburring tool as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said adjustable locking screw 32 including a threaded portion received within a threaded hole of said arbor such that rotation of said threaded portion causes rotation of said hemispherical portion to lock said blade within said arbor. STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19 New claims 1 through 6 on replacement sheets 10- 12a are based on the original claims but written to better conform to European format, provide reference numerals in the claims that identify components in the Specification and to correct minor errors in the original claims. The third and fourth parts of claim 1 clearly (1) define the cooperation between the recited blade slot and the configured pivot member 40 to lock and hold the blade in the arbor and the movement of said blade pivot from the locked position so that the blade can be separated from the pivot member. While the patent to Fried U.S. 3,017,791 discloses a deburring tool in Figs. 1-7 having a blade 15 mounted on a pivot pin 16, this is not like applicants' invention recited in the claims.

Inventors: ROBINSON WILLIAM ARTHUR, ROBINSON WILLIAM RAYMOND, ROBINSON, WILLIAM, ARTHUR, ROBINSON, WILLIAM, RAYMOND
Applicants: E Z BURR TOOL COMPANY, E-Z BURR TOOL COMPANY
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B23B51
IPC codes: B23B51